Ex Flasher Seeks Blinking Genius

Post by **Peetee** » Tue May 25, 2004 2:14 pm

The indicator system on my 1960 converted saloon no longer flashes - it just stays illuminated when selected left or right. Any ideas how to fix it folks?

Post by **salty_monk** » Tue May 25, 2004 2:26 pm

At a real guess I'd say the flasher unit/relay (do mogs have them?) is knackered or that you have a short that is causing a complete circuit at all times when the switch if in on position... (that would suggest it is after the switch in the circuit I think otherwise it would be on all the time.....)

Post by **Peetee** » Tue May 25, 2004 2:28 pm

flasher unit/relay (do mogs have them?)

Thats something I'd like to know before i proceed.

Post by **salty_monk** » Tue May 25, 2004 2:32 pm

Pretty sure they have some sort of flasher unit....

Post by **salty_monk** » Tue May 25, 2004 2:34 pm

http://www.morris-minor.co.uk/p375.htm

SWT101 1 Switch assembly-indicator 47.50

SWT104 4 Control assembly-horn and indicator 47.50

SWT105 5 Lens-green 0.95

BLB280 6 Bulb 0.84

SWT106 7 Relay-indicator-Lucar connectors 4.55

SWT107 7 Relay-indicator-screw connectors 11.10

SWT107A 8 Relay-eight terminal 69.50

SWT108 9 Switch-indicator 69.50

SWT109 10 Switch-indicator 39.50

BLB987 12 Bulb 0.61

Guess that's a yes then....

Post by **salty_monk** » Tue May 25, 2004 2:35 pm

Hope yours is just the £4.55 bit....

Post by **Cam** » Tue May 25, 2004 2:36 pm

They have a flasher unit which if faulty causes the symptoms you describe. But I think your 1960 model might have the extra flashing sidelight relay box that the later (and earlier) don't have.

Post by **rayofleamington** » Tue May 25, 2004 4:26 pm

It was the 1961/1962 that had the flashing sidelight relay - this was used as a transition between the trafficators and the 1098 style bigger lights with seperate amber section.
A 1960 will have been customised to get flashing amber lights - probably using the £4.55 Lucar thpe flasher relay. (little round aluminium pot)
This has a high resistance heating element - When you move the indicator lever current flows through the element and heats up a bimetallic strip - The bimetalic strip moves and makes a low resistance connection sending current through the indicator lever and onwards to whichever set of lights you connected (Ie. the indicator lever directs the current to the left lights or the right lights) and the bulbs light up including the indicator stalk.
As this is happening, the heating element cools down and the lights go off again.
Then the whole thing starts again.

Does this happen in left and right direction? if not:

If it is only bad in 1 direction, check the bulbs, wires, connectors and earths of the bulbholders in the circuit of that direction.

If it is the same in both directions:
Either the flasher unit is faulty or there is a high resistance connection somewhere preventing enough current from flowing for the heating / cooling cycle top work properly.
As they are so cheap you may as well buy one and replace it anyway - if it still plays up then check and clean up all the connections between the fuse and the flasher unit, and then between the flasher unit and the indicator stalk.
That should fix it but if not then the unlikely event may have occured that both left and right indicator circuits (wires / connectors/bulbs) have gone faulty at the same time. Check the bulbs, wires, coinnectors and earths of the bulbholders.

Post by **Gareth** » Tue May 25, 2004 5:35 pm

Just as a test... switch the ignition on, and try to put the flashers on one side.

(Any instructions that you follow hereafter, are at your own risk...)

Open bonnet.

Using a large screwdriver, give the flasher unit a WHACK!

Repeat until the indicators work.

If they work, replace flasher unit - it's on its last legs.
If they don't work (which is likely), replace heavily dented flasher unit.

You might want to check that there's enough charge getting through as well... just a thought.

Post by **Peetee** » Wed May 26, 2004 10:28 am

I would imagine the indicators are an aftermarket fit to replace semaphores. The rear indicators are of a style I have not seen fitted to a Minor before. The indicator stalk also doesn't have a light on the end (never seen this before on a Minor either). The is a light on the far right of the dash below the glove box which flashes in time - or used to. now although the indicator bulbs stay on this light doesn't illuminate at all. I have removed it from the dash and it appears to wire into the existing, bound wiring heading for the indicator switch on the steering colomn. I remember the aluminium Lucar relay thingie from my other Minor. This car doesn't appear to have one behind the dash or under the bonnet.

Post by **rayofleamington** » Wed May 26, 2004 11:24 am

This car doesn't appear to have one behind the dash or under the bonnet

I must have a flasher unit somewhere! otherwiser the lights would not have flashed. I guess you'll have to keep looking. The modern alternatives can be any shape or size and are often black plastic.
You could just ignore the existing flasher unit and stick in an additional one but the risk is that the original one will eventually stop passing current at all and then you will have no indicators.

As for the light on the end of the indicator stalk - I thought early minors didn't have one and it was only added when they changed to flashing indicators.. I could be wrong there though?
I assumed that the early Minors with the flashing stalk had just been updated with parts from a 1098.

Post by **Peetee** » Wed May 26, 2004 2:45 pm

I must have a flasher unit somewhere

I guess you're right about that Ray. Now thinking about it i do remember a black plastic thingie in there somewhere when i took it all apart.
I'm suffering the usual problem of finding a problem at the end of a days work on a car three miles away and trying to remember all the symptoms, parts and actions when i get home to use the PC. I sould be able to get down there this evening and check it out. Would a dodgy earth for this relay give the symptoms?
Oh for a garage (or lean to) close to home

Post by **rayofleamington** » Wed May 26, 2004 3:24 pm

If it's a normal black plastic flasher unit I don't think it needs an earth (I could be wrong - I didn't have to mess much with modern cars)
If they've used some kind of relay thingy, then it's anybody's guess.

Post by **Matt** » Wed May 26, 2004 3:25 pm

Or you could buy a laptop! (and if you were feeling really adventurous drive it to the texaco on the roundabout by allington lane, and you can get wireless internet there!!)

Post by **Kevin** » Wed May 26, 2004 4:01 pm

Or you could buy a laptop!

Bit expensive to solve a dodgy flasher unit.

Post by **Matt** » Wed May 26, 2004 4:08 pm

Mine was free from Hampshire County Council

Post by **Peetee** » Wed May 26, 2004 6:50 pm

to the texaco on the roundabout by allington lane

Which is not much nearer to the garage than my house

Post by **Willie** » Wed May 26, 2004 6:54 pm

Regarding the flasher pilot light, the first column mounted indicator
switches did not have one on the END of the switch it was at the
bottom of the switch almost on the steering column and was NOT
self cancelling either! Difficult to see in daylight which meant that
you can travel for miles with the winker going! ( I have fitted a
buzzer)

Post by **Matt** » Wed May 26, 2004 11:47 pm

Peetee, but its free internet!

Post by **Peetee** » Thu May 27, 2004 9:06 am

It might be free but with three kids and a working wife the more time I spend in the house (regardless of what i am doing (usually!)) the better my chances of spending time on the car.

Juggling doesn't get any harder than that!